Your company’s been hacked. Now what?
If you’re breaking into a cold sweat just thinking about it, you’re not alone. With the average cost of a data breach hitting $4.88 million in 2024, the stakes have never been higher. But here’s the thing: panicking won’t help. Having a plan will.
Let’s walk through exactly on how to respond to a cybersecurity Incident, when cybercrime comes knocking at your door.
Before We Begin: The Reality Check
First, some context: cybersecurity incidents aren’t rare anymore. They’re Tuesday. Major organizations like Dell have already faced massive attacks in 2024, affecting millions of customers. The question isn’t if you’ll face an incident, but when.
The Game Plan
1. Immediate Response (The First Hour)
Stop what you’re doing. Take a deep breath. Now:
- Document the time you discovered the incident
- Alert your IT security team or designated incident response leader
- Start a detailed log of everything you do from this point forward
- Don’t shut down affected systems yet—you might destroy valuable evidence
2. Assessment and Containment (Hours 1-4)
Think of this like containing a fire. Your priority is stopping it from spreading:
- Identify affected systems and data
- Disconnect (but don’t shut down) compromised devices from the network
- Change critical passwords and access credentials
- Document everything you find
3. Investigation and Evidence Collection (Hours 4-24)
This is your CSI moment. You need to understand:
- How did they get in?
- What did they access?
- Are they still in your systems?
According to NIST’s incident response framework, proper documentation during this phase is crucial for both recovery and legal purposes.
4. Communication (Throughout)
Here’s where most organizations fumble. You need to notify:
- Senior management
- Legal team
- Affected customers or stakeholders
- Law enforcement (if required)
- Regulatory bodies (depending on your industry)
Pro tip: Have pre-written communication templates ready. When stress is high, you don’t want to be crafting messages from scratch.
5. Eradication and Recovery
Now it’s time to:
- Remove the threat completely
- Patch vulnerabilities
- Restore from clean backups
- Verify system integrity
- Monitor for any recurring issues
6. The Post-Mortem
This isn’t just bureaucratic paperwork—it’s your shield against future attacks. Ask:
- How did this happen?
- What worked in our response?
- What failed?
- What do we need to change?
Prevention: The Best Response
The best incident response is the one you never have to use. Recent cybersecurity best practices emphasize:
- Regular security training for all employees
- Multi-factor authentication everywhere
- Continuous system monitoring
- Regular backup testing
- Updated incident response plans
The New Normal
Here’s the truth: cybersecurity incidents are becoming more sophisticated and disruptive. The global cost of cybercrime is expected to hit $9.5 trillion in 2024. That’s larger than the GDP of most countries.
But here’s the good news: with proper preparation and a clear response plan, you can handle these incidents effectively. The key isn’t preventing every attack—it’s being ready when one succeeds.
Remember: in cybersecurity, it’s not the incident that defines you. It’s how you respond to it.
Final Thoughts
Print this guide. Share it. Practice it. Because when alarms are blaring and inboxes are flooding with panic, you won’t have time to Google “what to do in a cyber attack.”
The best time to prepare for a cybersecurity incident was yesterday. The second-best time is now.
Stay safe out there.
